Joseph Walsh: Prevention of Future Deaths Report
Skip to related content
Date of report: 13/01/2025
Ref: 2025-0023
Deceased name: Joseph Walsh
Coroners name: M.D. Fleming
Coroners Area: West Yorkshire Western
Category: Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
This report is being sent to: Department for Transport
| REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT DEATHS | |
|---|---|
| THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: 1 Department for Transport 2 [REDACTED] (Secretary of State for Transport) | |
| 1 | CORONER I am M D FLEMING, HM Senior Coroner for the coroner area of West Yorkshire Western Coroner Area |
| 2 | CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS I make this report under paragraph 7, Schedule 5, of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013. |
| 3 | INVESTIGATION and INQUEST On 30 October 2023 I commenced an investigation into the death of Joseph Samuel WALSH aged 19. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 17 December 2024. The conclusion of the inquest was that: On 20/10/2023, Joseph Samuel Walsh sustained fatal injuries after he lost control of the car her was driving and collided with a brick wall on Brow Lane, Shelf, Halifax. At postmortem his blood alcohol level was 145mg/dL and he was found to have also taken cocaine (0.19mg/L) prior to the collision. |
| 4 | CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH On the evening of 20/10/23 Joseph was driving his vehicle on Brow Lane with some passengers. It is believed that his vehicle collided with a substantial stone wall to the offside of the road before bouncing back from the wall and coming to a stop in the centre of the road. Police and paramedics attended and Joseph was pronounced deceased at the scene at 23.54. |
| 5 | CORONER’S CONCERNS During the course of the investigation my inquiries revealed matters giving rise to concern. In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken. In the circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you. The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows: (brief summary of matters of concern) Joseph was aged 18 at the time of his death following the collision and had passed his driving test in May 2023. This was five months prior to the collision. At the time of the collision, he was legally carrying 5 young friends. Currently there are no legal restrictions upon the licences of young and /or newly qualified drivers and the current vehicle licensing regime permits the carrying of young persons as passengers in circumstances such as these. Young drivers may be more likely to be involved in a collision with similar aged passengers in the car. I would ask you to consider the appropriateness of reviewing the current provisions since I am concerned that there will be further like tragic deaths. |
| 6 | ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you (and/or your organisation) have the power to take such action. |
| 7 | YOUR RESPONSE You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report, namely by March 07, 2025. I, the coroner, may extend the period. Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out the timetable for action. Otherwise you must explain why no action is proposed. |
| 8 | COPIES and PUBLICATION I have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following Interested Persons I have also sent it to [REDACTED] who may find it useful or of interest. I am also under a duty to send a copy of your response to the Chief Coroner and all interested persons who in my opinion should receive it. I may also send a copy of your response to any person who I believe may find it useful or of interest. The Chief Coroner may publish either or both in a complete or redacted or summary form. He may send a copy of this report to any person who he believes may find it useful or of interest. You may make representations to me, the coroner, at the time of your response about the release or the publication of your response by the Chief Coroner. |
| 9 | Dated: 13/01/2025 M D FLEMING HM Senior Coroner for West Yorkshire Western Coroner Area |